Coupling for hay-racks.



T. D.-|VlcDONALD.

COUPLING FOR HAY RACKS.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 27. l9l6.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

. the coupling;

THOBJBUJRJN' 1D. MCDONALD, 01E BUTT-EVEN, ONTARIO, CANADA.

COUPLING FOR HAY-RACKS.

Application filed March 27, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THORBURN I). MCDON- ALD,a subject of the King of England, residing at Ruthven, in the county ofEssex and Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Couplings for Hay- Racks, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

In the operation of hay loaders and the like, which are usually drawnbehind hay racks, it is necessary that a coupling be provided which will.keep the hay rack and loader substantially in line in such a way thatone will not interfere with the operation of the other, and in such waythat the strain is suitably taken care of.

This invention relates to a coupling for attaching a hay loader or thelike to a hay rack or other vehicle and an arrangement of parts wherebythe loader is made to track closely behind the vehicle, and where by thecoupling is available for use on racks of diflerent widths and the like.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a. view in elevation of a coupling thatembodies features of the invention applied to a vehicle body or hayrack; Fig. 2 is a plan view of and Fig. 3 is a. view in rear elevation.

As herein shown in preferred form, a pair of transverse members 1, havea series of bolt openings 2 or the like at each end whereby anglebrackets 3 may be adjustably secured so that their upright members maybe in turn bolted to the longitudinal sills of a vehicle or the like.

A draft bar 6 is arranged to travel between the underside of thetransverse members 1 and applied guide bars 7 that are secured theretoin spaced relation as by separating blocks 8 or the like and suitableholding bolts 9. The inner end portion of the member 6 has alongitudinal guide slot 10 through which a bolt 11 passes in such a wayas to prevent sidewise movement of the coupling bar on the innermosttransverse member. Guide pulleys 12 and 18 disposed in pairs on theupper and lower sides of the draft member 6 are arranged to bear againstthe opposite margins of the outer transverse member 2 and thereby guidethe Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Bee. 112, 191%.

Serial No. 86,914.

tongue or draft member so that it swings back and forward across theframe as occasion requires, with a peculiar motion which insures theproper tracking of any loader or the like that is coupled thereto as bymeans of a bail 1%, clevis or the like.

When trailing the empty loader along a road or removing it from a field,bolts 15 are placed in the member 1, adjacent the pulleys l2 and 13, toprevent it from shifting when going down hill or over ruts; the boltsbeing removed when the coupling bar is to freely work.

As a result of this construction a coupling or draft rigging is obtainedthat is readily applied to any hay rack, vehicle or the like, that holdsthe following implement, such as a hay loader in good alinement with thebody and that does not depend for its maintenance upon a single kingbolt or pin, but does transmit the load directly to the sills throughthe guide rolls of the draft bar. There is no adjustment of the devicenecessary after it is once assembled, and it affords a simple andreliable means for the purposes described.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention and I do not care to limitmyself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim is 1. A coupling for farm machinery comprising a pair oftransverse members secured in parallel spaced relation, pairs ofoppositely disposed angle brackets adjustably secured on the transversemembers, a draft bar having a longitudinally slotted portion engaged bya pin on one transverse member and pairs of guide rollers near the otherend of the draft bar between which the other transverse member lies.

2. A coupling for farm machinery comprising a pair of transverse memberssecured in parallel spaced relation, pairs of oppositely disposed anglebrackets adjustably secured on the transverse members, a draft barhaving a longitudinally slotted portion engaged by a pin on onetransverse member, pairs of rollers on the draft bar embracing the othertransverse member, and guide bars secured against the faces of thetransverse members and adapted to cooperate therewith in maintaining thedraft bar in position.

3. The combination with a wagon rack having longitudinal sills, of adraft rigging including a pair of transverse members secured in spacedrelation by longitudinal members, pairs of brackets on the transversemembers secured to the sills, guide members on the transverse members, adraft bar playing between the guide and transverse members, a pin on onetransversemember engaging a longitudinal slot in the draft bar,

bearing on the marginal faces of the other transverse member andcompanion guide.

5. A coupling for farm machinery comprising a pair of transversemembers, longitudinally disposed members secured to the transversemembers, pairs of oppositely disposed angle brackets adjustably securedon the transverse members, guide members in parallel, spaced relation tothe transverse members, a pin on one transverse member, a draft barplaying between the guide and transverse members and having alongitudinal slot engaged by the pin and bearing rollers on the draftbar bearing against the marginal faces of the other transverse memberand companion guide.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THORBURN D. MCDONALD.

Witnesses:

CoRA SIMPSON, E. C. AWREY.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G

